Edinburgh Morning News 2/4

Bainfield trio Josh Spalding, Daniel Gormley, and John McDermott represent the Edinburgh banner in this weekends climax to the Scottish indoor bowls National Championships at Falkirk and their inspiration is to emulate the club’s title triumphs achieved in 2009 and 2010.

Expectations that their domestic champions can deliver are optimistic at The Hutchison Crossway Stadium as all three regularly parade their skills in the premier league arena of the sport, and are of an age –all under 30 – that guarantees a strong competitive spirit. All the are hungry to capture the national headlines in the triples and become part of a Bainfield folklore that embraces the back to back triumphs of Craig Paterson Craig Moss and Paul O’Donnell.

“We have the appetite to capture this national crown but understand that competition for the title is hot so the heat is on us to perform at a consistently high level and hope that the breaks don’t go against us”, said McDermott. Bainfield’s pathway into the final stands blocked by the Auchinleck trio of Derek Ferguson, Craig Johnston, and Garry Johnstone and although presently a mid table Division 1 club any Ayrshire opposition is to be seriously respected. And Johnstone has experience of completing the course having skipped a different front two to the title as recently as 2013.

The other semi final features Martyn Jenkins, Jim Prunty, and Robert Murphy of Coatbridge against Graham Alexander, George Barclay, and Connor Milne of Turriff.

East Lothian is strongly represented in the championships with a hat trick of titles in their sights via Jamie Higgins and Derek Oliver in the 4 bowl pairs, Dee Hoggan, Mags Thomson, Yvonne Veitch, and Janet Fairnie in the ladies Fours, and Calum Darling in the Under 21 Singles. The Higgins/Oliver partnership reigned as the 2013 champions and their bid to regain the title steps up with a tough semi final challenge from high profile Blantyre duo Jim Meikle and Iain McLean.

Paul Foster MBE is the eye-catching figure in the other semi final with the World stage star skipping his Prestwick colleague Craig Lindsay against Colin Smith and Andy Furye of Arbroath.

EL are bidding for a first title success in the ladies Fours and the talented rink skipped by Fairnie will give it their best starting with far travelled Turriff in the semi finals. Favourites Auchinleck, skipped by Claire Johnston, face East Kilbride in the other semi.

Teenager CalumDarling has experience at premier league level and that reads well against his Division 1 opponent from mid table Inverclyde however the budding EL star does have a battle on his hands against the fully-fledged Under 25 Junior Singles champion of 2015- John Fleming Jnr. Jason Banks of Garioch faces Thomas Strachan of Coatbridge in the other semi final.

Midlothian have double-handed representation one of which pitches international stars Gaynor Duncan and Stacey McDougall against twice title winners opposition in the shape of Balbardie duo Sharon Leitch and Lorraine Malloy in the ladies Pairs. The competition is also hot in the gents Fours where hopes are high for the rink of Ronnie Duncan, Ian Forbes, Billy Peacock, and Colin Walker who open against Aberdeen, skipped by Kevin Pirie.
Paul Foster MBE also features as skip for Prestwick against fellow cap Robert Grant of Lanarkshire.

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